Christ: The Unexpected Messiah
Jesus lived in an era when his people eagerly awaited the Messiah. Many hoped for a liberator who would throw off Roman occupation and lead Israel to political and national freedom. Zealots and fanatics repeatedly emerged, seeing themselves in this role. Even the few names we know from historical accounts remain marginal figures. Jesus, however, is not a footnote in history. He is the most influential person who ever lived.
Just a few days before his death, Jesus had entered Jerusalem to the cheers of a large crowd: “The next day, when the large crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel!’” (John 12,12-13).
Before the week was over, the mood changed radically. Jesus was rejected by the leading religious authorities and crucified like a hardened criminal. His disciples, filled with fear, withdrew and hid. After his crucifixion, they were deeply unsettled and didn't know what to do next. They had expected the Messiah to appear as a royal commander, defeat Israel's enemies, and be publicly confirmed as king by the Jewish authorities. This was precisely the scenario they had hoped for and longed for from Jesus.
If we consider the events through the eyes of the disciples, it becomes clear why they were so perplexed. Jesus fulfilled none of the widespread hopes and expectations. Instead of driving out the Romans by force of arms, he appeared as a prince of peace and never resorted to a weapon. He was born into extremely humble circumstances in a stable and, after his death, was buried in a borrowed tomb. In the prime of his life, he died a death reserved for slaves and rebels. What kind of Messiah could he be?
The message of the New Testament makes it clear: Jesus is far more than a military hero or political liberator. He came not only to free Israel from Roman rule, but to redeem all humanity from the bondage of evil and death and to reconcile us with God. To fulfill this task, he had to suffer and die. On the day of his resurrection, he spoke of himself: “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” (Luke 2)4,26).
The true glory of the Messiah is revealed in the light of the cross. The disciples had not grasped this crucial point before the resurrection. Many people still overlook it today. The glory of Jesus as our Savior did not lie in a high public office or a prestigious social status. It is revealed in his divine power, in the reality of his resurrection, and especially in the immeasurable suffering he willingly endured. Out of boundless love for humanity, he was prepared to walk this path to save those he loved.
Paul summarizes this mystery in his letter to the church in Philippi as follows: “He (Jesus), who was in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage, but emptied himself, taking the very nature of a servant, being born in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 1:12) 2,6-8).
After the resurrection, his followers gradually came to understand who Jesus truly was and why he had come. As they grasped the wonder of the grace and glory of the cross and his resurrection, they were profoundly transformed. Led by the Holy Spirit, they began to live out his great mission and carry his message into the world: the forgiveness of sins, victory over evil and death, salvation, and new life in fellowship with God.
Convinced of the truth and reality of who Jesus is and what he accomplished, they allowed themselves to be silenced neither by hardship nor by persecution nor by the threat of execution. Their message spread in all directions, reaching, figuratively speaking, to the ends of the earth. Throughout the centuries, people have passed on this message and thus become faithful instruments of God's reconciling and renewing work: "For the love of Christ compels us, because we know that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised" (2. Corinthians 5,14-15).
Let us allow ourselves to be drawn anew into this wonder and this devotion. Each and every one of us can make a personal contribution to carrying on this great mission and bearing witness to the message of Jesus Christ in our own communities. The world urgently needs this message. It has been aptly said: "Jesus may not have been the Messiah everyone had hoped for, but he is indeed the Messiah of great hope for all."
by Joseph Tkach
